Next month, there’s a chance to tour the original BBC studios inside the Ally Pally where television was born.
BBC Studios May 2023 (c) ianVisits
The space is pretty run down now, but still has the echoes of the time that actors and musicians would perform in the rooms and the many technicians stood off screen to control what went on.
When it started, the BBC leased the entire East Wing of the Alexandra Palace for the new television service, with former dining rooms transformed into studios, fitted out with two competing broadcast technologies – Marconi EMI in Studio A and in Studio B, the Baird company — and on 02 November 1936 the first regular high-definition broadcast was made — creating television as the world knows it today.
BBC Studios May 2023 (c) ianVisits
The tours will take place on Tuesday 4th and Thursday 6th June and tickets can be booked here.
- Meeting Point: East Court
- Age recommendation 16+ (must be accompanied by an adult over 21)
- Not accessible for pushchairs/prams, wheelchairs, or those with walking difficulties
- Visitors are advised to wear closed toe footwear due to uneven surfaces
Towards the end of the tour, visitors will be encouraged to explore future uses of the historic space by engaging with a call to action artwork created especially for the London Architecture Festival by artist-teacher Alix Smith.
BBC Studios May 2023 (c) ianVisits
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